It has long been a tradition of mine to observe each passing Christmas by reading from Dickens’s Christmas Tales. The obvious must-read in this collection is “A Christmas Carol,” but I would also encourage you to read two of his lesser-known works: “What Christmas Is as We Grow Older” and “A Christmas Tree,” both of which are short, powerful reflections on the Christmas season and what it means to us. These pieces are somber, beautifully written essays that become more meaningful to me every year I read them. If you hold Christmas dear in your heart, enjoy Dickens’s writing style, and have 15 to 30 minutes, I highly suggest you read these two selections. Christmas Tales can be found at Acorn or through SWAN.“What Christmas Is as We Grow Older” and “A Christmas Tree” are also freely available online.